The effort was led by Representative Stephen Lynch (D-MA) and included the signatures of 106 other Democrats.

“Mr. Trump’s plan will merely increase the number of private contractors and negatively affect the traditional federal employees who keep our agencies running,” said Lynch. “There is no question that we need to reduce costs within our government, but a hiring freeze will do the opposite.”

In October, the President Elect released his 100-Day Plan to Make America Great Again, which included the hiring freeze. Several exemptions were outlined, including military, public safety and public health personnel This freeze is just one of six measures laid out to “clean up the corruption and special interest collusion in Washington.”

However, the letter argues that instituting a freeze will not accomplish this goal.

“Firstly, the impact of hiring freezes enacted during previous Republican and Democratic administrations demonstrates that such measures have not, in fact, significantly reduced the size of our federal workforce or enhanced federal government operations,” stated the letter. “Rather, they have served to decrease efficiency, transparency, and accountability governmentwide at the expense of the public safety and American taxpayer dollars. Similar to your proposal, these hiring freezes included general human safety and other exemptions.”